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Dutch Taxes – Part 5: Benefits

The Dutch Government has several benefits programs to help those with low incomes to pay for various expenses like healthcare, housing, children and childcare. However, there are restrictions on when you can apply for certain benefits.

Once financially independent, most people will generally have a “lower” income to sustain their daily expense. However, these same folks will generally have a relatively high wealth in order to do so (e.g. comprised of stocks, bonds, rental properties, etc.). So, how does this affect their ability (or inability) to qualify for the various benefits?

A quick overview below (as per 2016):

Healthcare Benefits (Zorgtoeslag)

Low income families can apply for aid to pay for healthcare cost. However, there are both caps on income and/or wealth to be able to qualify for these benefits. For income this cap is € 26.316 (single) and € 32.655 (couples). For wealth this cap is € 21.330 per person, so € 42.660 for a couple.

In short, folks striving for financial independence will most likely not be able to apply for this benefit as many will have more than the maximum allowable income and/or wealth.

Rental support (Huurtoeslag)

Low income families can also apply for aid to pay for rent for their primary residence. Again, there are both caps on income and wealth to be able to qualify for these benefits. The income cap (for a couple) is € 29.800.

For wealth this cap is the same as for healthcare benefits, so € 21.330 (single) or € 42.660 (couple). The base rent also need to be within a certain range: min € 229,64 and max € 710,68 per month (excluding service fees).

Similar to Healthcare benefits, folks for financial independence will most likely not be able to apply for this benefit as many will have more than the maximum allowable income and/or wealth

However, similar to healthcare and rental support benefits, this optional benefit is subject to wealth (same limits as for healthcare and rental support). Again, not a benefit that the average folks going for Financial Independence could obtain (see a pattern here?).

Childcare benefits are limited to 230 hours per month and depend on how many hours you work (i.e. a full time job at a 40 hour work week will qualify you for the maximum number of benefit hours). There are also a maximum hourly rates associated with the benefits. Rates vary between about € 5.48 and € 6.80 depending on the childcare type (i.e. dayhome vs. daycare). If you pay a rate that is higher than the maximum, the difference will not be covered by the benefits.

Folks aiming for Financial Independence will not be able to apply as they would not have a job and thus no need for this benefit. It may, however, still benefit most folks that are on their way to Financial Independence and have children in daycare.

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4 comments

Very interesting insights into how it works in your country, thanks for sharing. I think having wealth caps too is a very good idea, as some people who are wealthy, but don’t earn a great deal. I don’t think it was set up to benefit those people.

Very interesting CF. One of the main differences between NL and the US seems to be that the NL has wealth caps. In the U.S., most things are income capped….for example, we missed out on the child tax credits because we made too much in 2015.

Hello Mr. Tako, yes indeed, the systems are completely different on both sides of the pond. Both have their pros and cons. However, from a financial independence perspective, the USA is certainly a better place to be! Looking at Root of Good and Go Curry Crackers, once your FI and you’ve set it up right, you are pretty much done paying taxes. That is a pretty sweet tax system to live with. Have a great weekend.

There’s something to say for both approaches; why punish someone who has been frugal his whole life, when the spending type will get even more for free? This however also implies you will have to tax wealth that is gained through inheritance. Luckily, we don’t have to make the rules, we just have to find our way navigating between them.